I think part of the problem with plates in the US is you have an antiquated system of Road Tax. The UK used to have this. If people are forever removing number plates, it leads to less plate compliance. We used to have paper disc that went in a holder on the windscreen with the expiry date on it, Tax Class etc that LEO etc could read. You bought a new updated one every year. Obviously the plate system has the advantage of not having to stop the vehicle to read it, but it never was the problem in the UK because cameras on roads would read number plates anyway & automatically comapre them to the Vehicle Tax database & issue fines if out of date. Police could simply call despatch for Tax info without stopping a vehicle. Now we have a totally digital system. No disc on display. You pay your road Tax & the info goes onto the database and that's it. If the Police want the info, they call despatch or some cars have automatic number plate readers. Roadside cameras all over the country read your number plate and alert the Police or issue fines for irregularities including non payment of Tax and we even have a few (not many) DVLA vans that have cameras on the roof and drive down roads reading the number plates of every vehicle automatically including parked ones and automatically flag and issue a fine / summons to the owner of any vehicle without Tax. In some respects it's a bit big brother but it's not really a lot difference from displaying your Tax status as a Vehicle Number Plate and it stops constant interference with the plates. To prevent forged plates, we now even have strict rules on plate manufacturers who have to see evidence of vehicle ownership documents & a person's identitiy I think record them before plates can be manufacturered. Different system, but maybe an electronic one is one the US should move to. Also you wouldn't get far in the UK without a front plate. The numerous cameras would flag this along with the rear plate and you'd get aither automitcally fined or have the Police directed to intercept and stop you to issue a fine / ask questions about the missing item..
